Trauma can be defined in a variety of ways and on many different levels, depending on the field of study involved and on the particular discipline or area of specialty. Trauma conceptualizations range from the basic and simple to the highly sophisticated and complex. Basically, trauma is perceived as a major injury, a powerful shock, and a severely disturbing event that results in a serious malfunction of a person, an organism, or a given system. It can be tangible, psychological, mental, emotional, or medical. Also, trauma can be experienced on an [Page 99]individual, familial, communal, social, or national level. Most of the time, traumatic experiences take place in more than one sphere and reflect both internal and external factors. Reactions, defenses, and coping styles also ...